no more good."

"The mornings are dark; I will call you in ample time, and Jacques will
have your horse ready. You can be miles away from Le Blanc before the
villagers are stirring."

The heavy supper and the warmth of the room after his cold, wet ride had
made him drowsy, and on my promising to call him at the end of two
hours he went to bed.

It was still dark when Jacques undid the fastenings of the gate, and I
bade my guest farewell.

"Remember my warning!" he whispered, "and keep free from Cordel's
clutches."

"A short visit, monsieur," commented Jacques, as L'Estang rode off.

"But full of interest, nevertheless. My visitor came all the way from
Paris in this wretched weather and at some risk to himself to warn me
against Etienne Cordel"; and thereupon I told Jacques the story, though
without revealing the adventurer's identity.

"The tale rings true," said he, "but we ought to be a match for the
lawyer's cut-throats. 'Tis a pity that Cordel won't give us a chance of
measuring swords with him."

"He knows better how to handle the goose-quill," I laughed, leaving
Jacques to fasten the gate, and returning to my room.

CHAPTER XIX

Who Killed the Courier?

L'Estang's information caused me a certain amount of anxiety, and during
the next few weeks I was rarely abroad except for a ride in the broad
daylight. Cordel, who was still at home, occasionally came into the
village, but nothing happened that served to show he was pushing on his
plot.

Indeed, as Jacques pointed out one evening when we were discussing the
matter, the lawyer had a difficult game to play. He could strike at me
only outside the castle walls, while the villagers were my devoted
friends, and every man of them would be eager to put me on my guard.

But Cordel's threats had apparently ended in smoke. Week followed week;
the old year gave place to the new, and I remained unmolested.

About the beginning of February, 1572, I received another letter from
Jeanne, informing me that her royal mistress had finally consented to
journey to Blois, and that they would set out in a week or two at the
latest. She also added, in a brief postscript at the end, that Roger
Braund intended to pay us a visit before the summer ended.

About the same time a message reached me from Felix, who was at Blois
again, in attendance on our patron. The king, he wrote, was more than
ever fixed on the marriage of his sister Margaret to Henry of Beam,
tho